Dear Betty,
I am going to invest in a wet suit and want to know what should I look for. Is any one brand better than the others? Should I get a full or spring suit? Any help and suggestions would be great.
—Kim, Los Angeles, California
Dear Kim,
When selecting a wet suit, you need to consider when and where you will be surfing. There are two main types of wet suits: A full suit has long arms and legs and a spring suit has short sleeves and only covers your legs to your thighs. Unless you plan to surf strictly at the height of summer or in warm waters, your first purchase should be a full suit. Wet suits are measured in millimeter thickness. The most common full suit is a 3/2mm. That means a 3mm core and 2mm legs and arms. A 3/2 is good for water temperatures in the 60s (Southern California in the summer). If you are surfing in colder waters with temps in the 50s (Northern California), you will want to invest in a 4/3mm. Spring suits come in a single thickness, usually 2mm, and are good for water temps in the 70s+.
The purpose of a wet suit is to keep you warm, so you are really going to want to invest in one that is top quality. Expect to pay around $300 for a well-crafted full suit (it's worth the investment). Look inside at the seams and make sure the stitches are glued or taped (this will keep you warmer) and check that the suit is flexible in the shoulders. When it comes to brand, each offers slightly different styles and aesthetics. It's a little like choosing a pair of jeans, so you need to try them on and find out which one fits you best. Keep in mind that a wet suit needs to fit snuggly without restricting arm movement in order to do its job of trapping and heating the water. Just a note: wet suit sizes run very small, so don't feel bad if you have to go up two sizes or more to find the best fit.
Enjoy the ride,
Betty
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